


nine days

by obscurityofphylum



Category: The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Angst, Drug Withdrawal, Overdose, Rehab
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-10
Updated: 2020-04-10
Packaged: 2021-03-01 20:21:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 841
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23583022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/obscurityofphylum/pseuds/obscurityofphylum
Summary: ben watched as klaus managed to destroy himself in less than two weeks.
Comments: 4
Kudos: 34





	nine days

on the first day, ben watched with irritation as klaus slept off his high, curled up under a thin cotton blanket that had been issued by the facility. he looked almost angelic, with his pale complexion and smudged eyeliner contrasting against pink lips and battered black veins that sunk into his skinny arms. ben was just grateful he was sleeping in an actual bed, and would probably get an actual meal later. 

on the second day, klaus's withdrawals started. he was fidgeting, wiping sweat from his brow and spilling his guts each time he tried even so much as a bite. ben couldn't say he liked to see klaus like this, but on one hand, klaus kind of deserved it. 

on the third day, klaus didn't get up from bed. he tossed and turned with fever, soaking through his blankets with sweat. he groaned and cried nearly all day, and ben was thankful when a nurse finally came in and took his temperature. 102.8. they gave him tylenol and he managed to drift to sleep, shaking and soaked. 

on the fourth day, klaus managed to stumble out of bed, a blanket wrapped around his scrawny shoulders as he attempted to scarf down a little bit of food, trying to calm the gnawing hunger in his stomach. of course, it came back up, but a hot meal was good for once. he slept most of the day, only waking up to mumble things to ben that ben didn't understand.

on the fifth day, ben got scared. klaus's eyes were as big as saucers and his pupils swallowed his green irises, darting around the room with panic as he paced, his shaky hands in his hair as he scratched incessantly. nothing ben could say could stop him. allison and diego visited, and allison got a cold rag to put on his forehead. it helped his fever a little bit, and diego made him lay down. allison's eyes were brimming with tears as they were forced to leave when visiting hours ended, despite klaus pleading please stay, please don't leave me, please. don't leave me. don't leave me. don't leave. 

on the sixth day, ben knew he lost control. his nails dug into his skin as he sobbed, screaming something indeterminable. nurses stormed in, and ben frantically begged them to leave, to let him calm klaus down, forgetting that they couldn't hear him. klaus cried himself sick, hiccuping with sobs and coughs as his wrists and ankles were strapped to his bed. ben tried not to cry as he watched his brother struggle in the restraints, but the tears forced their way down when klaus's eyes met his, and all ben saw was fear. 

on the seventh day, klaus was quiet. he cried softly for most of the day after they had taken the straps off, changing him into a hospital gown so he wasn't as sweaty. klaus didn't struggle or flinch away at the exposure, but as the nurses left the room, they took the last of his dignity with him. he wiped his eyes until they were red and irritated, trying his best not to cry when allison came back again. her brother, the witty one, the one with a joke for everything and a way of making everybody smile no matter the circumstance, staring at her with dead, confused eyes. ben could tell it was hard for her to leave again, and he thought he heard her mumble "i heard a-" under her breath at one of the nurses before shaking her head and leaving. 

on the eighth day, klaus was more like himself. he cracked a joke or two, smiling even if it didn't meet his eyes. he ate a little bit, and cried a little more. his fidgeting was bad, and ben could see his knuckles becoming red and raw from him wringing his hands incessantly. 

on the ninth day, ben watched as klaus paid for some powder in a very undignified way in the cafeteria, and spent the entire morning yelling at him about it. how stupid was he? he was so close to being sober. ben screamed bloody murder as klaus frantically snorted each line off the metal side of his bed. he licked the residue off, and ben began to fade.

when ben came back, klaus was screaming. howling, even. he backed up, crawling into the corner. ben rolled his eyes, about to criticize klaus for his relapse before he looked over again. 

klaus was shaking violently, muscles convulsing and a mixture of vomit and froth spilled from his lips, foaming at the mouth like a rabid dog. the room was quickly filling with nurses, who wasted no time shoving tubes down the seizing man's throat. 

"please, please don't let me die. please." ben heard a familiar voice behind him. he turned around, seeing klaus, eyes terrified as he stared at his own body, no longer shaking, just stiff and broken-ribbed from cpr. 

ben didn't have the heart to tell him it was too late.


End file.
